1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to keys, and more specifically to a combination key blank with light source.
2. Description of the Related Art
Keys used to open locks are universally known and come in a multitude of different shapes and sizes. It is common that one needs to open a lock under dim or darkened conditions. As such, it would be advantageous to provide a light source attached to or built into a key so that it may illuminate the darkened lock and facilitate the opening of the lock.
Several have tried this approach in the past with limited or no commercial success. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,276,582 to Burnett; U.S. Pat. No. 4,392,186 to Cziment; U.S. Pat. No. 4,521,833 to Wolter; U.S. Pat. No. 5,541,817 to Hung; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,730,013 to Huang all describe complex devices that involve associating a light with a key. In Burnett, Wolter, and Huang, e.g., the head of the key is a separate piece from the shank or blade of the key, and the two components must be assembled in a secure fashion. Failure of such a two-piece device is potentially catastrophic, since the head will separate from the blade while the blade is inserted into the lock, thereby potentially ruining the lock and stranding the user on the wrong side of the lock.
Other prior art devices such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,224,228 to Frederick describe a retrofit kit that can be added onto an existing key or key blank at the locksmith's store. The drawback to this device and method is that it requires the locksmith to purchase a specialized metal hole punch for punching a hole into the head of the key as desired. Such an expense will likely not be undertaken by a locksmith and is not market-friendly, as it adds significant labor to each key-cutting operation and takes up room in the locksmith's workshop. With such a system, the locksmith is committing to an expensive system from which he would likely not derive substantial sales sufficient to justify the cost of the system.
Finally, many of the prior devices are simply not secure and include a great number of customized components. The greater the number of components, the more expensive the final product. Any simplification in the design which can result in a reduction of the number of parts employed would be a great improvement in this field. Since each unit sold is typically very inexpensive (e.g., in the range of 50 cents to two dollars), the wholesaler earns its revenue based on high volumes of sales; a few pennies' difference per unit would be significant.